If you’re interested in keeping up with the powerful and influential people of today, then you need to check out Bill Gates. This article has a ton of information on how much money he made, the key market share he held, and what his net worth is. Also, make sure to learn some fun facts about him too!
Gates’ net worth estimated at $88.2 billion as of 2013. Which means that he’s one of the richest people in the world. His worth has increased from $25 billion only 7 years ago in 2006.
About Bill Gates
Early Life
Gates was born on October 28, 1955, and developed Microsoft Corporation in 1975. He was the company’s president for 26 years until 2000, and he still serves as the company’s chairman. Gates is also known for his own companies, becoming one of the most influential philanthropists in history and founder of The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. He also co-founded a production studio that produces videos, as well as a private space exploration company called Blue Origin. Bill Gates awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the highest civilian honor in the U.S.
Microsoft net worth
Microsoft’s net worth is about $250 billion according to 2014’s Fortune 500 list, which means that Bill Gates is one of the richest people on earth. He was named chairman in 2000, but only after he worked as an executive for 25 years. His time as CEO was much shorter than most CEOs over their first 25 year time period, and it seems like he took on a lot in order to reach that point. He started as a college dropout and then worked at IBM for twelve years before founding Microsoft with Paul Allen. Microsoft then became a gigantic company with huge amounts of money in their pockets. They became so big that they were able to purchase over 80% of the personal computer market by 1995 and have been dishing out powerful software ever since.
Facts about Bill Gates
Bill Gates has been married four times, with his first marriage ending in 1988. His second wife Melinda left him in 1995 after 15 years, and his third wife Jennifer was also his co-worker at Microsoft for 13 years before divorcing him in 2008. In 2010, he met Laurene Powell Jobs, the widow of Apple founder Steve Jobs, and they were married the next year. He’s also a very philanthropic man, founding the Gates Foundation and investing in various things to make the world a better place. He’s also a huge cyclist and has helped raise money for cycling as well. Bill’s been on many TV shows like Oprah and Larry King Live, as well as being featured in articles all over the world about his impact on technology.
His net worth today is estimated at $88.2 billion according to Forbes In 2011. He was ranked by Time Magazine as one of the most influential people in the world. Bill was ranked #2 by CNN Money on their list of “The World’s 50 Greatest Leaders”. Forbes ranked him as the 6th richest person in the world, and Fortune Magazine ranked him #9 richest man in the world in 2012. He’s also one of the most generous people from his generation too, donating $3 billion to charity between 2000 and 2010.
Founding Microsoft
Gates co-founded Microsoft with Paul Allen in 1975. Working at the company for 12 years before he left to start his own company. He returned to Microsoft in 1983 and has been there ever since. Currently, he is the chairman and serves in many board of director positions for companies as well as a member of the board for the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, which was created by him and his wife Melinda.
In 1980, Gates met Allen at a computer conference before launching their own company called Micro-Soft. The name picked because it sounded similar to the word “computer” and had something to do with business. Microsoft’s first product was the Altair 8800 personal computer, which cost nearly $2,000 to purchase. Gates and Allen then bought the rights to BASIC. After a few years changed the name to Microsoft in 1975. The company’s annual revenues only reached $76 million in 1975. But that number went up every year after that until Gates became CEO in 1983.
Microsoft recently ranked as one of the most powerful companies on earth by Forbes Magazine. Which means they hold a large amount of power and influence over the tech industry.
Charity work
Bill Gates has a huge heart and takes seriously his role in being a philanthropist. He’s an outspoken person, and he has been pushing for education reform since his early career at MIT. He’s donated over $31 billion to charity since 1987. Helped make the world a better place for all of us by continuing to push for various organizations.
Gates also co-founded the American Association for the Advancement of Science. Which was created in 1952 as an organization that would support science research. He’s also a big supporter of the United States Department of Defense. Their Strategic Command, as well as being involved in the development of vaccines for various diseases.
Bill Gates also has his own foundation called the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, which is one of the best foundations around today. They’re not only focused on providing help to those with HIV/AIDS. But they also provide over $1 billion each year in grants to help Canadians stay healthy, helping African farmers, investing in education initiatives, and much more.
Bill Gates House
In 1986, Bill Gates bought a large house in Seattle that used to be owned by former U.S. Secretary of Commerce Gary Locke.
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